New Delhi (India), Oct 25 : Festive season is here which means that celebrations are in the air! While everyone is involved in fun parties and exchanging gifts, there is also something else that forms an integral part of Diwali- cleaning.
The festival of lights marks the banishment of evil and the beginning of all things good, and decluttering helps get rid of all negative energy. This is the time to remove things that you no longer have use for.
However, as the saying goes, one man's loss is another man's gain, and your old things can provide happiness to others.
This Diwali, declutter with a cause and donate your gently used items to NGOs, orphanages or old age home. You can donate from toys, clothes, furniture, electronics to whatever you think can help others.
The urban poor lack access to resources and are unable to buy these luxuries. This is where NGOs step in; they become the perfect platform to link donors and beneficiaries and make sure that the donated items are distributed to those who need it the most.
"No donation is too small or too big. A child has donated a geometry set, an elderly couple donated old sarees... every bit counts! NGOs are dependent on the goodwill of people. And these donations help change lives, one item at a time," said Dr. Geetanjali Chopra, founder of the Delhi based NGO- Wishes and Blessings.
Rukmanni, an 80-year-old resident of the Wishes and Blessings old age home had difficulty walking unassisted. A family had an unused walker and chose to donate it to her.
"I used to feel bad that I had to wait for someone to help me walk. With this walker, I can be independent. I feel free!" expressed Rukmanni.
When you plan to donate household items, the first step is to sort or declutter. However, most people struggle deciding what they want to keep and what they should let go. So here are the important tips by an interior decorator, Kajal Arora for how to start on decluttering your home.
Give away old clothes - Clothes occupy maximum space in houses. However, it's definitely not easy to give it away. You need to be headstrong and start putting away garments that you haven't worn for more than a month.
Prepare a checklist - Its best to prepare a checklist as having a visual representation of where you need to get started may sort things more than you think.
Click before-after snaps - Begin by clicking snaps of one part of your home, like your kitchen, wardrobes, cabinets, etc. Quickly clean off the useless items in the photo and click an after photo. The moment you realise how your space could look, it becomes exciting and easier to start decluttering more of your home.
Use a helping hand - Ask your friends or family to recommend what should be thrown away or donated. If you defend the item and want to keep it, your friend has to agree with your reason and if they don't agree, it's time to get rid of it.
The box method - Get four carton boxes and name them as trash, give away, keep, or re-locate.
Choose one room or area in your home and place each item into one of the following boxes. Don't skip a single material, no matter how vital you may think it is. This process will show you how many nonessential items you really own and you will also end up deciding automatically what to do with each item.
Make this festive season different, and experience the joy of giving by doubling the happiness- declutter your home, and help the underprivileged experience a delightful Diwali!